Event Comment: [The playbill retains Sga Calvesi, but Morning Post, 14 Apr., prints a letter from her dated 13 Apr., stating that "she returns her most grateful thanks to the Subscribers and the Public for their indulgence in dispensing with her performance yesterday evening. She was one of the many unfortunate performers who were left unpaid in the year of 1783 by Mr Taylor. Deprived of resources, she naturally contracted debts, for one of which (yesterday evening going to obey her duty to the Public) she was arrested, and so expeditiously and secretly hurried away as to deprive her of the assistance of the Manager or her Friends to liberate her 'till an hour too late for Performance." The name of the singer who took her place is not known.

Event Comment: Benefit for Wrighten, prompter. [In mainpiece the playbill retains Kemble as Orlando, but "I had fallen from the Ladder in my Book-room, and bruised my Leg. Mr Barrymore acted Orlando for me" (Kemble Mem.).] Oracle, 29 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Wrighten, next the Stage-Door. Receipts: #328 18s. (63.0.0; 17.3.6; 2.9.6; tickets: 246.5.0) (charge: #116 16s. 10d.)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: Not acted these 3 years. With new Dresses and Decorations. The Characters dressed in the Habits of the Times. [Palmer Jun. was from the hay.] "It is necessary to remind both Macbeth and his Lady that there is a measured declamation, of which the natural utterance of passion knows nothing, and that words and syllables may be divided and subdivided till the fatigue of the ear overcome every other feeling...Between the first and second acts Ca ira was loudly called for from the pit and gallery. The clamour, after preventing the first part of the second act from being heard, subsided as unaccountably as it rose. The performers, in compliance with an admonition from the pit, began the act again, and proceeded without further interruption" (Morning Chronicle, 20 Feb.). "In Macbeth there was too much that was not Shakespeare, too much bad taste and shabbiness in the costumes of the witches, and all in all too much claptrap. He found it insufferable that Banquo should take the part of his own ghost and felt that the audience should behold the specter only in Macbeth's terror, as was the case with the banquet guests. 'Mr Kemble has desired on several occasions to suppress the ghost,' Meister says, 'but has never had the courage to do so.'" (J. H. Meister quoted in J. A. Kelly, 134). For Kemble's eventual courage in this matter see dl, 21 Apr. 1794.] Receipts: #425 6s. (383.2; 40.4; 2.0)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Author [of mainpiece, who is named in the Account-Book, but not on the playbill. In afterpiece the playbill retains Palmer as Petruchio, but "Mr Palmer not coming to the Theatre tonight, I acted Petruchio for him" (Kemble Mem.).] Receipts: #231 14s. 6d. (186.3.6; 40.1.0; 5.10.0; tickets: none listed) (charge: #178 17s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Orphan Daughters of the late Mr Wrighten, prompter. [In mainpiece the playbill retains Mrs Kemble as Charlotte, but "Mrs Ward read Charlotte " (Thespian Magazine, June 1793, p. 3).] Receipts: #548 12s. 6d. (137.4.6; 32.11.0; 2.17.0; tickets: 376.0;0) (charge: #147 11s. 6d.)

Event Comment: Powell: Mrs Goodall and Sedgwick not on in [Miss Farren's] Epilogue. Bannister Sen. came too late, not supposing the Play to be over so early, but apologiz'd to Mr Kemble, with which he was satisfied. Pirates rehearsed at 10 (in consequence of Suett, Storace being ill; Kelly, Crouch, Bannister Jun., Sedgwick absent, rehearsal was dismiss'd); My Grandmother at 12; Lodoiska music at 1. Receipts: #370 17s. 6d. (295/11/0; 62/6/0; 13/0/6)

Event Comment: Mainpiece: In Act I The Cardinal's Banquetv. In Act II The Court for the Trial of Queen Katharinev. In Act V a Grand Processionv to the Christening of Princess Elizabeth. Afterpiece: Representation of the Engagementv, as 14 Oct. [In mainpiece the playbill omits Lord Sands, but "Sands Hollingsworth, Baddeley ill" (Powell).] Powell, 17 Oct.: Chaplet rehearsed at 10 [see under 16 Oct.]; Drummer at 11; Roman Actor at 12 (order to be dismissed by Mr Kemble); 18 Oct.: Haunted Tower rehearsed at 10; Wedding Day at 12. Receipts: #307 6s. (227.18; 77.6; 2.2)

Event Comment: [The playbill retains Baddeley as Moses , and Mrs Heard as the Maid , but "Mr Baddeley being suddenly taken ill at the Theatre this Evening Banks play'd the part of Moses, and Evans doubled Surface's Servant with his own, Mrs Heard Ill, Mrs Jones the Maid" (Powell). Baddeley was stricken with apoplexy while still in his dressing room before the play began; he died the following day.] Powell: New Ballet [Alexander the Great] rehearsed at 10; Chorus of 1st Act of Cherokee at 12. Receipts: #174 13s. (136.4.6; 36.5.0; 2.3.6)

Event Comment: [Mainpiece in place of The Cherokee, advertised on playbill of 24 Feb. In it the playbill retains Mrs Booth as Mrs Over-done, but "Mrs Over-done Mrs Maddocks, Mrs Booth ill" (Powell).] Powell, 25 Feb.: New Comedy, viz. The Wheel of Fortune, rehearsed at 11; Alexander the Great (by order of Mr Sheridan) at 1; 26 Feb.: Wheel of Fortune rehearsed at 12. Receipts: #406 19s. (337.10.6; 63.18.0; 5.10.6)

Event Comment: Ode: In two Parts. Principal Instrumental Performers as 20 Feb., but omitted: Bridgtower, Archer, Mahon, Lavenu, Napier, Simpson. Mr Ashley is exceedingly concerned that he is under the necessity of informing the Public that the Anthem [The Anthem that will be performed at the Chapel Royal, St. James's, on the Nuptials oF his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and the Princess Caroline of Brunswick, composed by Handel, to conclude with the Hallelujah Chorus from The Messiah (advance playbill of 25 Feb.)] advertised for this Evening is necessarihy postponed until the Royal Marriage shall have taken place

Event Comment: king's "On 28th March 1795, I saw the Opera Aci & Galathea by Bianchi. The music is very rich in parts for the wind instruments, and I rather think one would hear the principal melody better if it were not so richly scored. The Opera is too long, especially since Banti has to keep everything going all by herself; for Brida is a good youngster with a beautiful voice but very little musical feeling; and Rovedino, and the good old Braghetti, and the wretched Seconda Donna-they all deserved, and received, not the least applause. The orchestra is larger this year, but just as mechanical and badly placed as it was before, and indiscreet in its accompaniments; in short, it was the 3rd time that this Opera was performed, and everyone was dissatisfied. It happened that, when the 2nd Ballet began, the whole public suddenly became dissatisfied and yelled 'off-off-off,' because they wanted to see the new Ballet which Madam Hilligsberg had given at her Benefice 2 days earlier. Everyone was embarrassed-there was an interval lasting half an hour-until at last a dancer came forward and said, very submissively: 'Ladies and Gentlemen: since the performer [sic, instead of proprietor] Mr Taylor cannot be found, the whole Ballet Company promises to perform the desired ballet next week, for which, however, the Impresario must pay Madam Hilligsberg #300.'That satisfied them, and they then yelled, 'go on-go on;' and thus the old Ballet was performed' (Haydn, 293)